Game



Patented Apr. 15, 1941 GAME Jacobus G. Schoonderwoerd and VJosephus R.' Houtman, Enka, N.- C.V

Application' March 26, 1940, Serial No. 326,094

6 Claims.

This invention relates toy amusement devices and more particularly to a game involving members movable on a board, the movementk of such members being chance controlled.

Games of this broad generalch-aracter have long been known and as employed today usually consist of a boardhaving a number of spaces, the defining margins of whichV are printed to designa-te runways thereon, and a separate playing piece is provided for movement on each runway. In playing, the pieces are raced acrossthe course laid out, the number of spaces over which a pieceis moved inY any single turn of a player being determinedby a chance produced number. Generally hazards are provided in thecourse so that a playing piece comingto rest on the hazardwill be penalized and consequently `progress in the race will be delayed to the advantage of the other players.

While games of this character are amusing for a time, they have several disadvantages. For example, if dice are used as the chance controlled means for determining the movement of the playing pieces, only the total reading, determined by adding together` the readings on the various dice, is of importance; while the combinations thrown are of negligible importance.`

Furthermore, the playingpieces being separate from the board, are apt to become lost, thus rendering the game no longer usable.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new parlor game involving movable pieces permanently attached to the playing board, while the game itself involves an entirely new combination between a playing piece and the 4chance controlled means for'determining its movement.

lt is contemplated by the present invention that the playing board have indicia thereon arranged in a progression and adapted to be consecutively disclosedby chance controlled means capable of producing each of the indiciaof the progression. Consequently'a new and' interest ing feature is added to a game of chance, namely the consecutive production of indicia in aprogression.

The playing board of the present invention is adaptable for use by ,almost any number of players, is compact, strong and readily constructed.

The game lends itself-to a wide variety of modications and may be played either quickly or slowly as the players may desire while either individual or team play is possible of attainment.

Otherl objects and advantages' of this invention will be apparent from aconsideration of Athe following detailed description of preferred forms thereof in conjunction with the annexed drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan View of one form of playing board` constructed according to the present invention showing one of the masking slides parline 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentaryview inY plan. of a modied. form of playing boardconstructed .according to this invention; and

Figure 5 isa view in section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

From a further consideration of the drawing, particularly Figures 1 to 3 thereof, it will be seen thatV the apparatus for playing the game consists of a playing board and three dice associated therewith in a novel manner.

The playing board is of a laminated construc tion and includes a base lamina I0, cut in the formof a regular hexagon, a plurality of intermediate laminae I I, out in triangular form, and a top or covering lamina I2 corresponding generally in conguration to base lamina IIJ. These laminae are suitably fastened together in super-y imposed relationship with the edges of the intermediate laminae II `defining a plurality of radi-al runways I3. Usually it is desirable to out all of theintermediate laminae II from a single sheet in a single operation so thatv a small hexagonal section with an annular recess may be provided at I4 to cooperate with top lamina I2 in defining the side walls of a dice receptacle I5.

To reinforce and assist in holding the laminae in superimposed position, a binding consisting of a thinl metal strip I6 U in cross-section is clamped around the margins of the board. The upper or overlying margin of strip I6 is partially cut away at each of the runways I3 and bent down over base lamina I0 so that masking slides Il may be mounted inthe runways for reciprocation in radial paths. Each masking slide I'I is provided with an upstanding portion I8 which serves as a handle.

Underneath each slide I1 there are a series of radially disposed numerals on base lamina Il) these numerals being consecutive from 1 to9, the highest numberV being most remote from dice receptacle I5. An aperture I9 is provided-in top lamina I2 for registry with each of the numerals on the base, such numerals being observable through apertures I9 when slide I'I is moved outwardly as can ber seen in Figures 1 and 2. Dice 20, ZI and 22 are thrown by the players in determining the4 movement-of slides II.

The modication of the playing board illustrated in Figures 4 `and 5 is also used in conjunction with dice 20, 2| and 22. The modified board consists of a. hexagonal base lamina 23 and a superimposed lamina 24 suitably fastened together and reinforced by a U-strip 25 corresponding in function and structure to strip IS disclosed in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive. Lamina 24 and as many more consecutive numbers as possible. After the numeral 9 has been disclosed the same procedure is followed in moving the slide back to starting position, it then being necessary to secure consecutive numbers each lower than the preceding number by calculating from the dice according to the procedure outlined Y above. The first player to fully withdraw and rehandle 29 which may be gripped for effecting rotation of the disc.

On the base lamina 23, a series ofnumerals and associated arrows are disposed in annular paths underlying discsv 2'|. These numerals are normally masked by the disc, but are selectively observable in consecutive order through an oval opening 30 in each disc by rotating said disc. Note that oval opening 30 is of suicient size to permit the viewing of a single number and one of its associated arrows. vThe numerals, as in the case of the embodiment of the board illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, are consecutively arranged and consist of the Adigits from 1 to 9.

In playing the new game by the employment of the board shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, each player selects a slide which he will try to move all the way out and back in again before his competitors can do the same thing, the movement ofthe slide being determined according to dice throws, as will be hereinafter explained. It

will be noted that three conventional dice are disclosed so that it is possible to secure, in a single throw, any number from 1 to 18 by reading individual numbers as well as cumulative inumbers determinable by adding together the readings on the dice. Due to the fact that the numerals on base lamina I0 are consecutively arranged, and consequently can be disclosed only in consecutive order by movement of slide before slide can be moved it is necessary to throw a l". Thereafter movement can be effected only by throwing consecutive numbers, failure to throw such a number resulting in loss of turn to the next adjacent player.

By way of example, suppose that at the beginning of a game the rst player secures in a single throw the indicia disclosed on dice 20, 2| and 22. This, at the beginning of the game, is the best throw because the slide could be moved out to disclose the numeral "7 on base lamina ||l by the following calculations:

Following this throw aplayer would have to throw a combination of 2 or 3 dice which would, when added together read 8. 'Failure to do so results in loss` of turn to the next adjacent player who will attempt to throw the dice to secure a l turn his slide is the winner of the game. 1f it is deemed desirable to add a penalty feature to the game, a rule of absolute silence may be imposed on each player after his slide has reached the extreme outer position, i. e., has uncovered the numeral 9 and is ready to commence the return of the slide. The usual penalty is to move the slide to starting position thus forcing the offender to begin anew.

Of course any chance controlled means for securing numbers' which will include each of the numbers on base lamina lil may be used instead of dice and two dice may be employed for a slow game while to speed the play four or more dice may be used. Note that one die could not be used since no number higher than 6 could be attained. The number of numerals on the board may of course be either reduced or increased, although the numbers must be consecutive in a progression. Naturally the number of slides may be varied at will to accommodate any reasonable number of players. Partners may play by each moving his own slide until one is returned, the partner having nished then being permitted to retain his turn and throw dice for the movement of the slide which has not yet fully covered its path of reciprocation, *Y

If the game is played on the board shown in Figures 4 and 5, the rules and possible modifications are the same as those discussed above, the consecutive numbers being disclosed by movement of discs 2"A so that oval openings 39 will register with'the numerals on base lamina 23. To lavoid confusionin play resulting from the fact that each discv2`| will be moved first in a clockwise direction until the numeral 9 is disclosed and then in a counterclockwise direction back to numeral l, two direction arrows are associated with each numeral, one of which and the adjacent numeral may be disclosed through the oval aperture. Thus when movementI in a clockwise direction is begun the number and the arrow pointing to the right will be disclosed. When the players next turn comes he will know at once the direction in which the disc is to be moved.

While preferred forms of this invention have been disclosed and described, it is intended that the invention be limited only in the light of the prior'art and within the spirit of the appended claims,

What is claimed is:

l. In a dice game of the type wherein an oblect is moved on a board under the control of the readings of a plurality of dice thrown simultaneously, a board, a pluralityv of sets of indicia thereon, each set being radially arranged the components of each set of indicia forming a progression, and countersunk independent masking means operatively associated with each set of indicia, each of said masking means being movable to` uncover only in sequence the components of said progression, whereby a masking means may be moved by a player to uncover in sequence e all of the consecutive components of the progression producible by reading a single die or by adding together the readings of any of the dice.

2. In a dice game of the type wherein an object is moved on a board under the control of the readings of a plurality of dice thrown simultaneously, a board having a plurality of radially extending channel grooves therein, an identical set of consecutive numerals printed in the bottom of each groove, the lowest numeral in each instance being adjacent the axis of the board, and masking slides mounted for reciprocation in said grooves, said slides being adapted to uncover said numerals only in sequence, whereby a masking slide may be moved by a player to uncover in sequence all of the consecutive numerals thereunder which are producible by reading a single die or by adding together the readings of any of the dice.

3. A game board consisting of a base lamina, a covering lamina, intermediate laminae, means for holding said laminae in superimposed relationship, radially disposed identical sets of cond secutive numerals printed on said base lamina, said covering lamina having 'an aperture therein adapted to register with each of said numerals, said intermediate laminae consisting of a series of sections the edges of which define runways adjacent each of said sets of numerals, and a mask reciprocal in each of said runways to consecutively disclose the numerals on said base lamina, said covering lamina having a large central aperture therein, the deiining edges of which only in sequence, whereby 'a masking means may be moved by a player to uncover in sequence all of the consecutive components of the progression thereunder which are producible by reading a single die or by adding together the readings of any of the dice.

5. In a dice game of the type wherein an object is moved on a board under the control of the readings of a plurality of dice thrown simultaneously, a board consisting of a base lamina and a top lamina, means for holding said lamina in superimposed relationship, said base lamina having a plurality of identical sets of numerals thereon, the numerals composing each set being consecutively arranged in an annular path, each numeral having oppositely directed arrows positioned adjacent thereto on opposite sides there of, said covering lamina having an aperture therein adapted to disclose each set of numerals and a mask rotatable in each of said apertures, said mask being adapted to disclose consecutively only one of the numerals ycomposing the set and one of its adjacent arrows, whereby the mask may be moved by a player to uncover in sequence all of the consecutive components of the progression thereunder which are producible by reading a single die or by adding together the readings of any of the dice.

6. In a dice game of the type wherein an object s moved on a board under the control of the readings of a plurality of dice thrown simultaneously, a symmetrical polygonal board, a plurality of sets of indicia thereon, one set lying adjacent each corner of the board in one of a plurality of equal radial sectors thereof, each set of indicia being disposed in the same relative position with respect to its corner as every other set, the components of each set of indicia forming a progression, and countersunk independent masking means operatively associated with each set of indicia, each of said masking means being movable to uncover only in sequence the components of said progression, whereby a masking means may be moved by a player to uncover in sequence all of the consecutive components of the progression producible by reading a single die or by adding together the readings of any of the dice.

JACOBUS G. SCHOONDERWOERD. JOSEPH'US R. HOU'I'MAN. 

